So I’m a server at a small restaurant in a fairly big city in TX. Mother’s Day special was a pecan-crusted chicken. As you can probably guess from the title, I’m deathly allergic to pecans. Usually it’s only if I eat them and skin contact only causes an uncomfortable rash.
While bussing a table, I accidentally got some of the sauce/breading on my hands. I thought I washed my hands in time, but I guess I touched my face or neck at some point. Within minutes I was wheezing and coughing. Not as quick and severe as a reaction from eating them, but still very unpleasant and getting progressively worse. About 15 minutes goes by and I’m having more trouble breathing. I check our first aid cabinet and the one thing we don’t have is benadryl. Another server with no tables runs next door to a store to buy some. I take twice the dose and it still does nothing. Eventually I give up. Calmly explained the situation to my tables (while barely breathing), had them tab out and finish any other orders with another server, then went to the back and used my epipen.
If you’ve ever used an epipen, you know it’s not a pleasant feeling. However, it’s significantly better than your throat closing I suppose. After that, I went to an urgent care emergency room to get checked out, as sometimes a second reaction will kick in after the fact. I was okay and the dr cleared me to go home on the condition I get plenty of rest. I texted the owner to let him know I was safe.
His response?
“Well we’re extremely busy and you leaving early on mother’s day is f*cking us over. Can you come back and finish your shift until closing?”
Absolute BS.
However…
Hospital bills are expensive… so I went back. And worked 6 more hours. Gotta love capitalism.
TL;DR- had an allergic reaction, stabbed myself with an epipen, went to a hospital, then came back and served for six hours to pay for my hospital bills and a new epipen.